Apparatus for loading a water vessel



Dec. 23, 1958 R. A. MATHEISEL 2,865,518

APPARATUS FOR LOADING A WATER VESSEL Filed April 24, 1957 INVENTOR RUDD PH 4. MATHE/SEL ATTORNEYS United States Patent ce Patent'ed DecMZEE,

APPARATUS 'FORLOADIN G A WA'IE'R :YESSEL Rudolph A; Matheisel, Baltimore, Mili, assiguor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America. as represented b'ythe Secretary of the'Navy I Application April 24, 1957, Serial No. 654,975

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-15) The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for loading a water vessel and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for loading a water vessel which stows the loading apparatus when not in use.

During wartime, small water vessels, such as seaplanes, are used quite extensively. If the seaplane can return to its home base, there generally is no problem in reloading it due to the loading equipment available on the docks.

However, when the seaplane is reloaded at sea where the dock loading equipment is not available, either the loading equipment must be provided on a ship which reloads the seaplane or the seaplane must carry its own loading equipment. If a ship carriesthe loading equipment, the seaplane would have to taxi up alongside the ship in order to be reloaded; this would create a very dangerous condition unless the water is calm, as the seaplane would be in constant danger of being smashed against the ship as a result of the waves.

In order to avoid this danger, it has been suggested that seaplanes carry their own loading equipment. However, the known loading systems carried by seaplanes to reload them while afloat are not practical as they weigh too much and can not reload a seaplane in the short time required under wartime conditions.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for loading a water vessel.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for loading of a water vessel with a minimum amount of time and equipment.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for loading of a water vessel that stows the apparatus in the vessel when not in use.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: the single figure shows a portion of a seaplane with parts broken away to disclose a loading compartment and a bay.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts, there is shown a portion of a seaplane 10 having a loading compartment 11 communicating with a bay 12 by passageway 13.

The hull of the seaplane 10 is provided with an opening 14 which is connected with the bay 12. The opening 14 is closed by a rotary (bomb) bay door 15 of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,634,656, issued to Wollens et al., April 14, 1953.

The compartment 11 is easily accessible by means of a loading hatchway 16 which is normally closed by a hatch (not shown) A loading crane 18 includes a mast 23 pin connected at its lower end to a fitting 21 affixed to bulkhead 19; a boom 24 is rotatably' mounted on the upper end of mast 23, and can be rotated by a gear box 25 actuated by a hand crank 26.

The boom 24 has a motorized winch 27 and a pulley 28 by a pin '35. When the loading crane 18 is in-theerect position, as shown; the I lower ends of-'the struts 33 and 34: are anchored in fittings- 36-'-.and'- 37, respectively'gby pins 382 Any suitable 'erecting' means can- 'be usedto raise the crane 18. For ex'ample,-a cylinder'39- and a plunger 41aremounted on:a -bulkhead of the-=seaplane at 423 An=arm 44 is fixedat its upper end to the lower end of ern2'1-s t23- andizis=pivotal ly isecured to 'the end of the plunger-41 bya pin 45.

Sloped rails 46 are provided on the floor of the compartment 11. A dolly 47 rides on the rails 46 and carries a store 48 from the compartment 11 into the bay 12. Any suitable means can be used to power the dolly 47, such as, a cable 49 which is attached at one end to the dolly 47, passes around a pulley 51, and is fixed to a motorized winch 52.

During the loading operation, removable sloped rails 53 are placed in abutting alignment with the rails 46 to allow the dolly 47 to carry the store 48 into the bay 12. As the stores 48 are loaded on the rotating door 15 from front to rear, eventually the rails 53 must be removed to allow the stores to be loaded in the space they had occupied.

Trolley tracks 54 are provided in the top of the bay 12 and a crane 55 is mounted to run thereon to pick up the stores 48 from the dolly 47 and lower the stores 48 to the proper position on the door 15. The crane 55 can not only lift and lower the stores 48 but can swing the stores to either side of the door 15 for proper loading of the seaplane. Further, the crane 55 can pick up a store 48 from the forward end of the compartment 11 when the rails 53 have been removed. A motorized winch 56 is mounted on a bulkhead 57 to power the crane 55 along the tracks 54.

When the seaplane is to be loaded, the apparatus shown is operated in the following manner: The hatch for hatchway 16 is removed; the loading crane 18 is erected from the dotted line storing position to the solid line position; a store 48 is picked up and lowered onto dolly 47; dolly 47 is moved into bay 12; crane 55 picks up the store 48 and places it on the door 15. This procedure is continued until the door 15 is fully loaded. The crane 18 is then lowered to the dotted line position and the hatch is replaced.

The seaplane 10 is now fully loaded and ready for another mission.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that withinv the scope of the appended claims the invention may be: practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a Water vessel having a loading compartment accessible by a hatchway, a bay connected with the compartment, and a rotary underwater door communicating with the bay, means pivotally mounted in said compartment for loading stores, said means being movable from a stowed position in said compartment to an erect position through said hatchway, a powered dolly in said compartment to laterally move said store from said compartment to said bay, and crane means movably mounted in said bay for picking up stores in said bay and said compartment to be placed on the door.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said loading means comprises a mast, a boom rotatably 4. In combination with a water vessel having aload-.

ing compartment accessible by a hatchway,. a bay cone nected with the compartment, and a rotary underwaterdoor communicating with the bay, means pivotally mounted in said compartment for loading stores, said.

means being movable from a stowed position in said: compartment to an erect position through said hatchway, dolly means positioned in said compartment for receiving a store; means connected to said dolly for powering said dolly from a position in said compartment to a position in said bay, and crane means movably mounted in said bay for picking up stores from said dolly means in said hay and in said compartment to be placed on the'door.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said loading means comprises a mast, a boom rotatably mounted on said mast, and a winch and cable on said boom for loading said stores.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said loading means further comprises means for raising the boom and mast to an erect position.

7. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said crane means is swingable to either side to load the stores on the door transversely as well as longitudinally.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

